adventures in acting & stand-up

Another suitcase in another sprawl

It’s the 31st July. An occasionally sunny Sunday in Gravesend. Johnny Walker’s Sounds of The 70’s is on Radio Two. Life would be insuperably wonderful but for one thing. I can’t get my suitcase to shut.

It’s the day before I travel to Edinburgh for a month at the festival, and suddenly everything is urgent. And my suitcase won’t close.

In mitigation, most of it is props and performance clothes; I’ll be performing my own solo show and acting in a play in which I seem to have more costume changes than a Cher concert. But I’m pathologically rubbish at travelling light anyway. Tomorrow is going to be a travel nightmare!

The first few days are going to be stressful. Did my posters arrive at the venue? Have we sorted out all the props for the play? Can we get a line-run organised before the technical rehearsal? I thought this road would lead to the road I want to be on, but I’ve been walking uphill on cobbles for an hour and I’m lost… And on and on. Yet, I am SO looking forward to the festival this year. It’ll be the first time I’ve performed there since 2008, when I shared two stand-up shows a day with another act. This will be my first time with a solo show. And my first stage play for rather longer than I’m proud of.

I’m looking forward to seeing comedy pals from around the country, who I don’t get to hang out with on a regular basis. I’m looking forward to performing, both the shows and various spots around town at all times of the day and night. I’m looking forward to being tired and irritable and homesick… and then suddenly not being any more just because someone said something which could only ever be funny to those of us living through the experience that is “a performer’s Edinburgh Fringe”.

I’ve already proved that I’m not much of a blogger, but if I get the chance to report a few stories from the Front, I will do. Otherwise, if you’re going to be in Edinburgh in August, do come to the shows – they’re both free to get into (we can discuss a leaving fee later), and details are on my ‘Forthcoming Gigs’ page. And if you do come, be sure to say hello afterwards, won’t you.